edition

NOV 201521

AND YOU COULD

TAKE the surveywin $50

Treat me right

2

COME ON, SAMSON.HU� Y UP.

hey, you must be my

new neighbour. I live next

d� r in 402.

I WAS WONDERING

WHEN I’D BUMP INTO

YOU.

I’m parisa. it’s

nice to m� t you. welcome

to the building.

I’m lucky. it’s

nice to m� t you t� .

and this is

samson.

w� f!

we� isn’t he just

the cutest li� le guy.

how are you finding

moving in? isn’t moving house

just the worst?

But I’m moving out of

a share-house into my own place for the

first time so I’m pre� y excited.

norma� y,yeah.

Okay I take it back,

moving house is the second

worst.

Yeah, the one I

was in was pre� y… hectic.

people coming

and going a� the

time.

Share-houses are tota� y the

worst!

2

PART ONE

3

Oh, I know exactly what you mean. I’ve b� n in places like

that before.

Except on the first Friday of every month I have a margarita

night.

Everyone would love to m� t him.

And you t� of course!

Wait, do you drink?

Yes, I do. Not as much as I used to,

but I do...

Oh? Why is that? if

you don’t mind me asking? I realise

now that I say it that it might be a rude

question.

No, I don’t mind at a� . I have

always b� n a party kind of guy. But with the new apartment I figure now is a g� d time as any to make positive

changes in mylife.

Plus I got Hepatitis C when I

was in my wild party days, so cu� ing

down on my drinking wi� be g� d for

my health.

But this building is

pre� y quiet thankfu� y.

O� h! That’s this w� k! You should tota� y come

along! And bring Samson!

we drink Margaritas and

watch fun movies. This month it’s The

Prince� Bride.

I’m not goingto become boring,

but I’m just going to start drinking in a

more healthy way.

Oh, okay. Do you have many health

problems from that?

not rea� y, surprisingly

enough. it’s some-thing I’ve b� n living with for twenty years.

So I reckon that won’t be

a problem now. New apartment,

new life.

I gue� I had some

flare ups of p� r health, but that

was usua� y when I used drugs or

drank t� much.

Awesome! That’s a great

way to be. We� if you want to come round

we usua� y start about 8 o’clock on

Friday.

it’s greatto m� t you,

t� .

speaking of healthine� ,I should go on

this jog! I’� talkto you later. it’s

great to m� tyou!

COME ON, SAMSON.HU� Y UP.

hey, you must be my

new neighbour. I live next

d� r in 402.

I WAS WONDERING

WHEN I’D BUMP INTO

YOU.

I’m parisa. it’s

nice to m� t you. welcome

to the building.

I’m lucky. it’s

nice to m� t you t� .

and this is

samson.

w� f!

we� isn’t he just

the cutest li� le guy.

how are you finding

moving in? isn’t moving house

just the worst?

But I’m moving out of

a share-house into my own place for the

first time so I’m pre� y excited.

norma� y,yeah.

Okay I take it back,

moving house is the second

worst.

Yeah, the one I

was in was pre� y… hectic.

people coming

and going a� the

time.

Share-houses are tota� y the

worst!

33

4

She was pre� y nice wasn’t

she?

we� samson,

what do youthink?

yeah,I think so

t� .

I think we’re going

to like living here,

mate.

this is the last box, sam.

pre� y sure this has your liver

treats in it.

w� f!

aliver

treat.

h� m.

maybeI shouldtreat my

liver.

What do you reckon mate.

Should I go the whole hog like

Ri� ler did?

Should I treat my Hep C

with Interferon and Ribavirin and

everything?

Why don’t we go to Newcastle to s� Ri� ler?

S� what he thinks…

44

5

newcastle.

the next day.

are you ready

to s� ri� ler?

it’s b� n almosttwo w� ks.

Lucky! it’s b� n t�

long! I don’t get to s� you enough since I moved to

Newcastle.

it’s g� d to

s� you t� , Ri� ler!

Samson, are you sti�

hanging around with this loser?

luckycan comet� , if he

wants.

how aboutyou and I go

down to the beachto throw around

a Frisb� ?

w� f!

55

I was wanting to talk to you

about some-thing.

later that day...

what’sthat?

what about

it?

hepatitis.

We� , I’veb� n thinking

a lot lately. The new apartment

and the changes I’m making in

my life.I’ve b� n

thinking about the stigma of having

hep C.

Stigma? When have you ever

encountered stigma from your hep C?

no. whatdentist?

Did I ever

te� you about that dentist?

666

Notlong after

I contractedHep C I went to

the dentist.

it says on the form you

fi� ed in that youhave Hepatitis C, is

that co� ect?

U� -h� .

he was rea� yrude aboutthe whole

thing.

No doubt you

contracted it from injecting

drug use.

And just to a� insult

to injury, he had his hands in

my mouth the whole time.

I couldn’t say anything

in my own defence.

We� , your p� r life choices mean that I have

to take extra precautions that make this whole proce� more

di� icult.

Ug� h, frngh b�

yu� r di� ng heag� h

And hewas asking

questions he had no busine�

asking.

I su� ose you also have

unprotected sex with multiple

partners?

Whug� ?

dentists and doctors should take universal precautions with everyone. using di� erent or a� itional precautions for patients with hepatitis c is u� ece� ary.

I was wanting to talk to you

about some-thing.

later that day...

what’sthat?

what about

it?

hepatitis.

We� , I’veb� n thinking

a lot lately. The new apartment

and the changes I’m making in

my life.I’ve b� n

thinking about the stigma of having

hep C.

Stigma? When have you ever

encountered stigma from your hep C?

no. whatdentist?

Did I ever

te� you about that dentist?

777CONTINUED PAGE 14

8

8

8

8

NEW TREATMENTS for hep cIt’s a really exciting time for people living with hep C at the moment. There’s new treatments being approved and it's very likely we'll be able to get them soon.

These treatments are not available to us because they're not yet on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in Australia yet. A medication being on the PBS means that people in Australia can get it cheaply. It will be less than $10 per month if you have a health care card.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) has already recommended that the government put these drugs on the PBS. This means that they may be listed on the PBS very soon.

Tell me about the new treatments!

The time you will need to take the new medications may be much shorter than if you used the current treatments. You may only need to take the new drugs for 8, 12 or 24 weeks. This depends on your hep C genotype (the strain of hep C you have) and your level of fibrosis (which is the amount of damage your liver has). It also depends on whether you have had treatment before and how your body responded then.

9999

The current treatments that you can get right now are interferon-based treatments. They include a drug called interferon. Most of the new treatments do not contain interferon. As a result they have far fewer side effects. The new treatments (sometimes called direct acting antivirals or DAAs) are far easier to take. They are just one or a few pills a day depending on the combination of drugs.

The new treatments for hep C have a success rate of between 90% and 99%. This will depend on your genotype and what treatments you've done before.

How do I access these new treatments?

When the new treatments are on the PBS, you’ll access them by getting a referral letter from your doctor. Then you’ll make a booking to see a hepatitis C specialist.

You can call the Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 803 990 or by pressing 3 on the common calls list from prison to get the number of a hepatitis C specialist. We also have a list on our website at www.hep.org.au.

The specialist will tell you which treatment options are best for you.

When will I be cured?

You may hear treatment that works referred to as ‘cure’ or ‘SVR’, which stands for ‘Sustained Viral Response’. This means that someone has had treatment that has cleared the hep C virus from their body.

If a blood test called a PCR test can’t find any hep C virus in your blood (which is called "PCR undetectable") 24 weeks after treatment ends then you are generally considered to be cured. Some clinics have moved to testing for SVR 12 weeks after your treatment ends.

It’s important to keep in mind that if hep C has really damaged your liver, clearing the virus might not mean you are healthy again all of a sudden. There may still be liver damage from hep C and you may need ongoing check-ups and care. Also, even if you clear hep C, you can still get it again if you’re exposed to the virus again.

Talk to your doctor or health care worker about what ‘cure’ should mean for you.

*These pages adapted from a fact sheet reviewed by Hepatitis NSW with special input from A/Profs Simone Strasser and Greg Dore. More information is on www.hep.org.au and will be updated when new treatments become available.

10

Ask the harm Reduction LadyDear Harm Reduction Lady,

I’ve been trying to quit drinking because I’ve been told it’s bad for my liver. I find it impossible to give up and I keep going back to drinking alcohol. What can I do to look after myself and my hep C when it comes to alcohol?

Frank

Dear Frank,

The answer to “how much alcohol is too much” is different for each person. When alcohol gets in the way of things you value, that is too much. This could be your health, your job, or your relationships. Harm reduction means making choices around alcohol that have fewer bad outcomes.

Hep C does mean you have to be careful with alcohol, but this might not mean no drinking at all. If you find out how alcohol is affecting you, you can take steps to reduce harm from drinking. These harms could be a bigger risk of liver damage or problems with your medication.

Your doctor can do tests to see how your liver is coping with alcohol and hep C. (Like viral load tests, liver function tests and fibroscans.) The tests will help you choose whether to reduce or stop your drinking.

First: set a goal for your drinking. It should be a “right now” goal. You might change your goal later – that's OK. Set one for right now for the moment. It might be safer drinking, less drinking, or quitting drinking completely.

To get yourself going, work out the pros and cons of not changing anything. Then work out the pros and cons of your goal. You can write these down or talk them through with someone you trust. This might be a counsellor (like the ones at

Hepatitis NSW) or a peer support worker.

You might choose to keep drinking, but try to drink in a safer and healthier way. Here are some tips to help you do that:

➲ Pick a buddy who will stick with you when you drink. Pick someone who will help you stick to your goals. You can keep each other safe when drinking so you don’t do anything dangerous. Your buddy might be someone who is also trying to cut down or quit drinking. You can support each other in your choices.

➲ Know what a standard drink is. The drinks in pubs or bottle-os can be bigger. It’s easier to keep to the drinking guidelines if you know how much is in your glass (check out http://bit.ly/standardDrinks). It's important to avoid binge drinking, or drinking too many standard drinks at one time.

➲ You can choose to drink only at home. Or you could set a drink limit for when you drink outside the home. This could help you avoid worries around transport or dealing with other people .

➲ Or you can choose to drink only in bars and not drink at home. This can help you limit your drinking to ‘special occasions’. It can also help reduce the settings in which you drink. Decide which option works best for you.

111111

Ask the harm Reduction Lady

stock image ©2004-2015 xiao-stock. Not the Harm Reduction Lady herself.

*"Harm reduction" refers to all the work done by groups, workers and peers to reduce the harms of drug use to people who use drugs.This column is based on How to Change Your Drinking: a Harm Reduction Guide to Alcohol by peer-led support group HAMS and If You Drink Alcohol and Have Hep C or HIV Read This by the Harm Reduction Coalition.

➲ Plan your transport before you drink. Walking or using public transport is the smarterst option. Planning in advance can make sure you’re not tempted to drink and drive.

➲ Always carry condoms. One night stands might not be your thing, but they can happen when people are drunk. Carrying condoms can help you avoid STIs and more.

➲ Be really careful mixing alcohol with prescription medications or illicit drugs. Mixing alcohol with other drugs that are depressants (like benzos or opiates) can depress your breathing. This can lead to overdose and death. You may also find it harder to judge your tolerance if you drink when taking drugs. Alcohol can mix with prescription medications or other drugs in really nasty ways.

each week can be a lot easier. Alcohol-free days can help you cut back on the total amount you drink. You can slowly increase your alcohol-free days if you want to.

➲ When you drink, have a non-alcoholic drink like water or juice after each alcoholic drink. This is a good way to stop you getting dehydrated. It can also help you drink more slowly and keep you from drinking too much too fast.

➲ Look after your liver. This might mean treating your hep C to stop further liver damage. Talk to your doctor or liver clinic about tests that can tell you how your liver is coping. You can also talk to your doctor or the people on the Hepatitis Infoline to help you decide about treatment.

➲ Set limits. It's easier to set limits for how much you'll drink per session and per week, rather than just saying you'll "drink less". The health department suggests no more than two drinks a day. Be realistic and don’t beat yourself up if you fail.

➲ Add alcohol-free days. You may find it too hard to stop drinking completely. But choosing to have a few alcohol-free days

1212

What are the reasons to start treatment? Hep C treatment can cure your hep C. This is called ‘clearing’ hep C. Treatments are quicker and cure more people than they used to.

If your hep C has been making you feel sick, clearing your hep C can make you feel well again and your liver will be healthier.

You might have reached a good time in your life for treatment. This could be: - feeling good about yourself, - being positive about the future, - or having support around you from family and friends.

If your liver already has a lot of damage, it might be best to go on

treatment now.

Should I start treatment?There are lots of things to think about before going on treatment. There are reasons to go on treatment now and there are also reasons to wait until later.

What are the reasons not to start treatment now? Hep C treatment doesn’t always cure you of hep C.

Hep C treatment can take a while. It usually takes about 6-12 months to finish treatment.

For some people there are side effects to hep C treatments. They could make you: - feel like you have the flu, - depressed and moody, - feel tired or have sleep problems. This can make it hard to work and do other things like look after a family.

If you or your partner are planning on having a baby soon you can't go on treatment.

There will be new treatments in the next few years. These treatments will be quicker and have less side effects. If your liver isn’t badly damaged, you might want to wait until the new treatments are ready.

CuRe

6 monTHs

12 monTHs

-

neW

Talk to your doctor, nurse or clinic to help you decide if you are ready for treatment.

140220_res_EasyRead_istreatmentforme_FA.indd 3-4 11/05/2015 3:56:34 PM

* These pages from Hep C Treatment: Is Treatment For Me? by Hepatitis NSW. To order this and other easy-read resources, go to www.hep.org.au/resource-library/

1313

What are the reasons to start treatment? Hep C treatment can cure your hep C. This is called ‘clearing’ hep C. Treatments are quicker and cure more people than they used to.

If your hep C has been making you feel sick, clearing your hep C can make you feel well again and your liver will be healthier.

You might have reached a good time in your life for treatment. This could be: - feeling good about yourself, - being positive about the future, - or having support around you from family and friends.

If your liver already has a lot of damage, it might be best to go on

treatment now.

Should I start treatment?There are lots of things to think about before going on treatment. There are reasons to go on treatment now and there are also reasons to wait until later.

What are the reasons not to start treatment now? Hep C treatment doesn’t always cure you of hep C.

Hep C treatment can take a while. It usually takes about 6-12 months to finish treatment.

For some people there are side effects to hep C treatments. They could make you: - feel like you have the flu, - depressed and moody, - feel tired or have sleep problems. This can make it hard to work and do other things like look after a family.

If you or your partner are planning on having a baby soon you can't go on treatment.

There will be new treatments in the next few years. These treatments will be quicker and have less side effects. If your liver isn’t badly damaged, you might want to wait until the new treatments are ready.

CuRe

6 monTHs

12 monTHs

-

neW

Talk to your doctor, nurse or clinic to help you decide if you are ready for treatment.

140220_res_EasyRead_istreatmentforme_FA.indd 3-4 11/05/2015 3:56:34 PM

14

so? that’s

it?

did youever goback to

him?

no, though I did s� him once again a few years later

on tv.

a� arently he had b� n ri� ing o� customers,

or overcharging them or

something.

So it was one dentist, that you

went to once, and he got his comeu� ance

anyway.

Everyone comes acro�

jerks from time to time.

Stigma and discrimination

can have a huge e� ect on people, but

that doesn’t s� m like a big deal

to me.

we� , there was

also the first time I told my sister I had

hep c.

PART TWO

14

15

I ca� ed her up to let

her know.hey

claire, how’s my favourite sister doing

today?

but she was being a

pain in the neck right out of

the gate.

nope. no you don’t. Don’t give me

that “favourite sister”

crap.

mum already told me. How could

you be so stupid?

I’d told mum the day beforeI ca� ed Claire, and a� arently

mum had already told her.

it’s not about being

smart or stupid, claire. it can

ha� en to anyone.

She had a lot of

pre-conceived notions about

drug users that she got from work.

I’ve s� n the drug users that come in to

the pharmacy for methadone and

the n� dle and syringe

program.

You’re smarter thanthem, Lucky.

You’re be� er than them. Or

you shouldbe.

some pre� y me� ed

up views, to be honest.

that’s not fair to

your customers, claire. they’re

people t� .

nobody isbe� er than

anybody else.

we’re a� just people. you ought to

know that.

and then she got rea� y

nasty.

oh man, I didn’t

even think about the

kids. I’m not sureI’m comfortable

you l� king after the kids on your

own anymore.

I haveto protect

them.I don’t

know what I’d do if they were

infected.

15

16

she told me she didn’t

want me around the kidsanymore.

later she changed her mind, butI didn’t know that at the

time.

claire, you can’t do that. I’m no danger to those kids.

I love them. I’d protect

them with my life.

I don’t know what she was thinking.

when you come here

to eat, you’re going to have to bring your own

knives and forks.

so the kids don’t end

up a� identa� yusing the same

ones.

I don’t know if she

realises how much she hurtme that first phone ca� .

I tried to hide it from her. I didn’t even te�

her that hep c can’t be pa� ed

on that way.

okay, claire. I can

do that, if that’s what you want

from me.

to have my own sister treat

me like I was di� erent because

of a health condition.

that I was somehow... unclean.

I just have to l� k after my kids,

lucky. they mean everything

to me.

I don’t think I’ve

ever felt so alone.

I’ve got to Go. I’�

ca� you in a few days.

she was so cold, so

distant.

okay.bye.

16

17

I knowclaire

isn’t likethat.

No, not anymore she

isn’t. But that was the way she was the first time I

told her.

And it has b� n

hanging over my head for A

long time.

So that’s why I’m thinking

of going on treatment

I wanted to ask you about

it, because I know you’ve b� n through

the treatment yourself.

Yeah, people can

be ho� ible.I know. I’ve had my

own bad experience with stigma over the years. but if that’s

the worst you’ve b� n through you should consider yourself

very fortunate.

Your sister got be� er and you had a jerk for a dentist.

Any stigma at a� can be

hard on people’s mental health, but

lots of people have it far worse

than you*.

*Discrimination is a serious i� ue that a� ects people’s health and can deter people from testing for hep C or a� e� ing treatment and care.

if you want to go on

the treatment you should be very sure

that it is what you want to do.

But you shouldn’t be

doing it because of what anyone

else thinks of you.

you should be doing it

because it’s the best thing for you,

not for anybody else.

because that’s the only

thing that is going to get you

through it.

trust me, going through

the treatment is no picnic.

whatdo youmean?

1717

18

we� for genotype 3* which is whatI had, it’s a 24

w� k course of treatment.

So you’� be doing it for

the be� er part of a year.

there’s a once a w� k injection of

interferon in the be� y.

and thr� tablets

of ribavirin twice a day, once in the

morning and onceat night.

There are di� erent genotypes or strains of hepatitis C. The genotype you have wi� determine what treatment

options are available to you. Your doctor can find out your genotype with a PCR test (bl� d test).

there are side-e� ects

t� . I lost a� my hair.

and that was tough,let me te�

you.

the hair already made me f� l self-

conscious.and then

I got a rasht� . I felt

hideous.

and I became d� ply depre� ed.

Not to mention the anxiety.

it was over-whelming.

I became very isolated. I saw very few

people that year.

1818

19

having said that, I’m incredibly

grateful that I had the o� ortunity to

go through it.

and I’m even more

grateful that it worked.

it soundslike quite the

ordeal.

it’s not that bad for everyone, but

there’s no way of predicting whether you’� get no side-

e� ects or a� of them.

but I’m out the other

side now.

I f� l like I rea� y

a� omplished something.

I did the best po� ible

thing for my health, in spite of how

hard it was.

it helpsto know you

got throughit okay.

or aday at the

beach.

if you’re going to do it,

you n� d to be 100% co� i� ed and aware

of how hard it might be. And you’�

n� d the su� ort of the people who love you to make

it through.

I don’t know I’d say

I got through it okay, but I got

through it.

I f� l it was worth

it, but I want to make sure you

understand that it was hard to do.

for a lot of people, it’s not a walk in

the park.

I gue� I’ve got a

lot to think about.

yeah,you do.

19

20

so whatdo you think,

samson?

if I’m going to do this, I had

be� er be sure.

but...betw� n

you me and the wa� s, I’m a

li� le bit scared.

for the first time in my life, I’d say the pieces are a� in place for me to be

able to treat my hepatitis.

later that day...

thestars have

aligned.

what’s the ma� er, bu� y?

Cat got your tongue?

and I’m going to n� d your su� ort

t� , samson. what do you say?

would you help me

with moral su� ort?

2020

21

the next day.

claire’s house.

that’s about the long and

the short of it. I’m thinking about ge� ing

the treatment, but I know it could

be hard. So the reason I’m te� ing you a�

this…it might be hard. Rea� y hard. And I’m not sure I’� be able to get

through it without your su� ort.

Say no more. You’ve got a� the

su� ort I can give you.

I’m veryso� y I acted

the way Idid.

You know, I’ve b� n thinking a lot lately about

how I acted the first time you told

me about your hepatitis.

it’s okay,sis.

No, no it isn’t. There’s no

excuse for the way I acted.

Workingat a pharmacy

I tend to...detach myself from the

patients that come in.

it’s some-thing that a lot of health care

workers do.

We distance ourselves from

patients until they become nothing more than machines to be fixed, as though we

are mechanics.

you remember that rea� y bad dentist I told

you about?

I was te� ing Ri� ler

about him. I gue� he probably had the

same thing. He sto� ed thinking about his

patients as people.

yes?

I’mso� y.

Yes, exactly. But there’s no excuse for it.

You went to him to be cared for as a

patient and you were harmed

instead.

it’s something I’ve b� n trying very hard not to do to my

customers, but I can’t believe I ever did it to

you. My brother.

apologya� epted.

2121

22

a� I can say is that you

must be a be� er pharmacist with

this new a� itude of yours.

and abe� ersister.

We� , speaking of

being a be� er pharmacist and sister,

I have tried to k� p up to date on

treatments for hepatitis C.

There are new treatments

on the way that have a higher cure rate

and fewer side e� ects.* You should

definitely go andtalk to your doctor about your options. Things may not be as hard for you as

they were for Ri� ler.

New treatments for hep C have b� n a� roved for use in Australia, but are not yet available on the Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme (PBS). it is now

up to the government to provide funding for these treatments so that they are available to people

living with hep C in Australia.

And I’� be here for

you no ma� er what.

You n� d to make the

treatment choices that are right

for you.

Don’t let judgemental

people make you f� l bad, and don’t let the bad experiences

influence you. I’m here

to su� ortyou.

thanks,sis.

anytime.you’refamily.

22

23

friday, 7:55pm.

So now I can makea decision,

Samson.I’ve got

everything I n� din my life for

the first time to give me the fr� dom to

get my hepatitis treated.

but nodecisionstonight,my boy.

Ah-ha! Here it is.

This is the only kind of decision for me tonight,

Samson.

baddecisions in

a bo� le! the main ingredient for

margaritas.

so what do you say,

boy? sha� we go m� t the neighbours?

but the realquestion

is...

...can I make it through the

entire showing of The Prince� Bride without

quoting my favourite lines as they

ha� en?

inconceivable!

23THE END

the difference

24

spot 7 differences

between pictures

a & b

1) The lamp is gone 2) There is no coaster for Claire 3) Claire and Lucky have swapped the colour of their clothing 4) Lucky's mug has changed colour5) The painting behind the couch has changed 6) The Eiffel tower is a dif-ferent colour 7) The Family Portrait on the wall is now white

picture a

picture b

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Across4. Hepatitis B and C are viruses that attack the _____.5. A _______ is a scan (kind of like an ultrasound) that lets doctors see how damaged your liver is.8. Up to 25% of people who are exposed to hepatitis C will _____ the virus and not develop ongoing hepatitis C.9. You can get new injecting equipment from the ___ to prevent transmission of hepatitis C.11. If you are diagnosed with ongoing hepatitis C six months after exposure, this is called ______ hepatitis C.Down1. A _____ test is the second test you get done for hepatitis C. It confirms whether you currently have hepatitis C.2. Hepatitis C is a ______ borne virus.3. If you have questions about hepatitis C, you can call the Hepatitis _______ for free.6. An _______ test is the first test you get done for hepatitis C. It tells you if you've ever been exposed to hepatitis C.7. You can get a _______ from your doctor that will protect you from hepatitis B.10. When new medications are listed on the ____, they are subsidised so that Australians can access them at an affordable cost.

crosswordspot 7

differences between

pictures a & b

ANSWERS: 1) PCR 2) blood 3) Infoline 4) liver 5) fibroscan 6) antibody 7) vaccine 8) clear 9) NSP 10) PBS 11) chronic

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We design workshops and education sessions for people who work with communities affected by hep C and hep B. We can come to you or you can come to us. We can tailor our workshops to suit your needs, and we include a C'een & Heard speaker who has lived experience of hep C.

For more information about our education and training services, please email education@hep.org.au

If you or your community want to be part ofTransmission Magazine, please email transmission@hep.org.au. We can put together a training package for your organisation and help produce a story that could become a future edition of the magazine.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING SESSIONS

HEP REVIEW MAGAZINEDo you want to read more about looking after your liver and living well with viral hepatitis?

Hep Review contains stories from people living with viral hepatitis, articles on living well with hep B and C and reports on news and research covering treatment, nutrition, and the personal side of hepatitis. To sign up for Hep Review, email hepreview@hep.org.au.

VOLUNTEER CALLOUT Corrective Services wants Hepatitis NSW to promote our work to prisoners via the computers in NSW prisons. We’re looking for volunteers who can provide voice overs or video filming. You’d need to come in to our office in Elizabeth St, Surry Hills on a week day. We’ll provide the script and training. We’ll also provide a free meal and travel reimbursement. Experience of prison is an ad-vantage. Call Paul on 0412 885 201.

2727

Love transmission

magazine?

You can have Transmission Magazine delivered to you. Sign up as a Hepatitis NSW member at www.hep.org.au or call 1800 803 990.

Have you seen our new, mobile-friendly

Hepatitis NSW website?

Check it out at www.hep.org.au

It's full of information about hep C and hep B.

Find out how to look after yourself and protect

yourself and others.

Scan me with your smartphone to visit our site.

28

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION CALL

sms: 0404 440 103 ph: 1800 803 990 e: info@hep.org.audial 3 on the Common Calls list (free!)

send your questions to us ON

Having hepatitis C is a really significant life experience. It's a big ask for you to leave it completely behind you so soon.You may still have health problems and you may still experience stigma and discrimination, even if you no longer have hepatitis C. These things aren't fun. But you've achieved something great for your health - congratulations!The best way forward is for you to have strong support networks. This could include talking to friends and family, but also a counsellor or peer support worker. These people can support you while you work out your feelings and move on. You can also check in with the nurse or doctor you saw for treatment. And please feel free to call the Hepatitis Infoline. It's free and confidential.

I've gone through treatment and cleared hep C six months ago. I was expecting everything to be great after that, but I feel like I can't move on. What's going on?

HEPATITIS INFOLINE

1800 803 990 INFO, SUPPORT, REFERRALS

Call 131450 to organise an interpreter service

Q

A

question & answer

You also can now chat to us live at hep.org.au

INFO, SUPPORT, REFERRAL

HEPATITIS

INFO, SUPPORT, REFERRAL

HEPATITIS

with the

28

Let's Talk is a free counselling service for people affected by hepatitis C. You can also speak to a Hep Connect peer worker who has gone through hepatitis C treatment. Call the Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 803 990 to find out more. You can also reach us by pressing 3 on the common calls system from prison.

29

HOW TO GO IN THE DRAW TO WIN $50

the survey FILL OUT THE

SURVEY AND YOU

COULD WIN A

$50 VOUCHER

IT'S EASY!

go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TMED21 AND FILL OUT THE SURVEY ONLINE BY 30 JAN 2016

OR 1 FILL OUT THE SURVEY ON THE BACK OF THIS PAGE 2 CUT THIS PAGE OUT OF THE MAGAZINE 3 FOLD IN HALF ALONG THE BLACK DOTTED LINE BELOW, SO THAT THE ADDRESS IS ON THE OUTSIDE 4 STICK THE 2 SIDES CLOSED WITH STICKY TAPE OR STAPLES (ALONG THE YELLOW EDGES ABOVE AND BELOW) 5 PUT IT IN THE POST TO US BY 30 JAN 2016 (NO NEED TO BUY A STAMP, IT'S FREE TO SEND)

NB: ONE ENTRY PER PERSON

30

the survey

5. How do you think we could make this magazine better?

Yes No

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU6. How old are you?

7. Are you: male female trans/inter

8. What is your current postcode (or prison name)?

9. Do you speak a language other than English with your family?

No, only English

Yes, the other language I speak is:

10. Are you Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander?

11. Please describe yourself: (tick as many as you like)

Person with hep C

Person cured of hep C

Partner/relative/friend of person with hep C

Person with hep B

Current prisoner

Ex-prisoner

GP or Health Care Worker

Community or youth worker

Person who currently injects drugs

Person who used to inject drugs

Worker in NSP sector

Worker in AOD or OST sectors

Other (please say)

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to p

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FILL THIS OUT AND YOU

COULD WIN A

$50 VOUCHER

IT'S EASY!

12. If you would like to go in the $50 voucher draw, please give us your name and phone number, email address or prison MIN (optional). This prize offer is for NSW residents only - one draw per person.

Phone number: Name:

or email address or MIN :

1. After reading this Transmission Magazine, I feel I know more about hep C

2.After reading thisTransmission Magazine, I know more about keeping healthy with hep C

3. I think this Transmission Magazine is useful to me

Stronglyagree

Agree Neither Disagree Stronglydisagree

Stronglyagree

Agree Neither Disagree Stronglydisagree

Stronglyagree

Agree Neither Disagree Stronglydisagree

4. Since reading this Transmission Magazine, (tick all that apply)

I have called the Hepatitis Infoline

I have looked up the Hepatitis NSW

website at www.hep.org.au

I have talked to someone else about

my hep C

I have made an appointment with my

doctor or liver clinic

I have made changes to my lifestyle

I know how hep C is passed on

I have made no changes

13.Would you like to be sent up-to-date hepatitis news and information? Write your email address here:

Email address:

EDITOR/DESIGNER Heather McCormack

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Tim Baxter Jenny Douglas Paul Harvey Peter Middleton Sonam Paljor Kate PinnockRebecca MiersRhea ShortusMegan StapletonRobert Wisniewski

COMIC WRITER Lawrence Gergich

COMIC ARTIST Mark Lauthierwww.gestaltcomics.com

SPECIAL THANKS . . .

ASIDE FROM HEPATITIS NSW EDITORIAL CONTENT, VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE OR FLYERS ENCLOSED WITH IT ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF HEPATITIS NSW. NEITHER ARE SUCH VIEWS NECESSARILY THOSE OF OUR FUNDING BODIES.

TRANSMISSION MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROMOTE OR CONDONE THE USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS. RATHER, IT SEEKS TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE WHO ALREADY USE DRUGS TO REDUCE RISKS AND MAKE SAFER CHOICES. NOTHING IN THIS MAGAZINE SHOULD BE TAKEN AS RECOMMENDING DRUG USE.

Hepatitis NSW is proud to acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional owners and custodians of our lands and waters. ABN 30 408 095 245 A non-profit health promotion charity funded by the NSW Ministry of Health. Accredited by the Quality Improvement Council of Australia (QIC). Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible.

Hepatitis NSW p: 02 9332 1853 f: 02 9332 1730

Hepatitis Infoline 1800 803 990 (freecall)

PO Box 432 Darlinghurst, NSW 1300 info@hep.org.au

Level 4, 414 Elizabeth Street Surry Hills Sydney 2010 www.hep.org.au

If you are a youth or health worker and would like to know more about how your clients can contribute to the development of Transmission Magazine call the Hepatitis Infoline on1800 803 990 or email transmission@hep.org.au

to the participants in the Cease trial at the albion centre

The Albion Centre is a multidisciplinary public health care facility with a primary focus on HIV management and is a part of South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. Albion’s purpose is to reduce the impact of HIV, STIs, and viral hepatitis through delivery of comprehensive prevention, treatment, care and support by a team of specialist doctors, nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists, psychologists and social workers.

Since late 2014, Albion has been recruiting people living with HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) to be in the CEASE trial. CEASE is a major national collaborative project with the ultimate aim of controlling and eliminating HCV infection from the Australian HIV positive population.

http://www.hep.org.au/news-stand/

PH: 1800 803 990Transmission@hep.org.au

www.facebook.com/hepNSW@HepatitisNSW